Marlin 1895 Accuracy: Last Desperate Attempts
I've run out of ideas, other than cast bullet alloy and maybe powder, to get this older Marlin to shoot better than shotgun patterns at 50 yards.
Background: I bought this 1895 in 45-70 used 10-15 years ago and play with it sporadically. Accuracy has never been satisfactory. Slugging the micro-groove bore revealed that is was quite oversize at .4595", so I bought a new NOE mold for a 325-gr boolit, and a .462" sizing die.
I mounted a 14X scope. Using RL-7 powder (47gr, 49gr, and 51gr from the Lyman book), weighed boolits, and my alloy that approximates Lyman #2, all loads looked like patterns, with 5 shots going into about 6" at 50 yards. (I should have chronographed the loads.)
I can think only of changing the alloy and/or the powder. For a different alloy, I have pure lead and virgin linotype. For powders, I have, over the years, accumulated 47 different powders from which to choose.
Neither a new barrel nor one of the new Ruger Marlins is in the budget.
Suggestions and recommendations will be welcomed.
Thank you, Richard